Surgical needle.



No. 784,995. PATENTED M R; 14, 1905.

T. U. EDWARDS.

SURGICAL NEEDLE..

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 27. 1904.

Witrasesjf I I I UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

THOMAS CLAY EDWARDS, OF SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.

SURGICAL NEEDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,995, dated March 14;, 1905.

Application fil d June 27, 1904. Serial No. 214,408..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs CLAY EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salinas city, in the county ofMonterey and State of California, have invented a new and useful Surgical Needle, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to surgical needles.

The object of the invention is to present a needle in which a single strand of a suture may be positively held assembled with the needle when being passed through tissue, thereby reducing the size of the aperture and facilitating the operation of sewing stitches; furthermore, to simplify a device of this character, increase its efficiency, and obviate certain defects present in the old-style needles in common use.

With the above and other objects'in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction of a surgical needle, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated two forms of the embodiment of the invention, each capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understoodthat the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of disposition without departing from the spirit thereof, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective, on an enlarged scale, of one form of needle embodied in the present invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the head of the needle. 3 is a-perspective view of another form of needle which may be employed in lieu of that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is an end view of the head of the needle shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. 7

Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 1 designates generally the needle, which may be of any preferred configuration, either straight, curved, or of any other shape, and having an eye 2 disposed any preferred distance from the head of the nee- Fig.

dle. The eye may be dressed or countersunk to prevent any cutting of the suture or thread when the needle is in use. Connecting the eye with the head of the needle is a groove 3, which extends nearly through the needle, forming thereby spring-jaws for frictionally engaging the suture and also to permit the suture to occupy a position directly in alinement with the long axis of the needle. In other Words, the suture is housed within the groove, so that the orifice made in the tissue will be no larger than the cross diameter of the needle. To accentuate the holding qualities of the walls or jaws formed by the groove, each is provided with a series of transverse notches or depressions 5, into which the suture will be bulged or forced from the spring.

action thereon when the suture is forced between the jaws. The head of the needle is provided with a transverse recess 6, extending laterally from the groove, said recess or crotch being dressed to prevent any cutting of the suture.

In the form of embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3, 4c, and 5 the sutureholding groove 7 is devoid of any corrugations or depressions, such as shown in Fig. 1, it being intended in this form of the invention that the jaws 8 will embrace the suture with sufficient force to prevent any slipping or separation between the parts in use.

In threading either of the needles for use the suture is passed through the eye and the short end is held down against the needle by the fingers, while the portion on the opposite side of the needle or on the groove side thereof is forcibly pulled into the groove, and in this act the walls of the groove are flexed, and as soon as draft is'released from the suture the walls will instantly clamp the suture, and thus secure it in place. The projecting portion of the suture extending through the eye is then cut ofi smooth with the needle.

In the use of either of the needles described it will be found that the suture will be positively held against being drawn from the nee dle when the latter is passed through tissue, owing to the fact that no part of the suture is exposed to contact with the tissue, as the suture is completely housed within the groove.

By thus disposing the suture the force necessary to pierce the tissue and draw the needle and suture therethrough is greatly diminished and the size of the apertures in the tissue is in a measurable manner decreased.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is 1. A surgical needle having an eye located some distance back of its head, and an axial groove opening from one side only of the needle and extending from the eye to the head, the walls of the groove constituting clamping elements;

2. A surgical needle provided with an eye disposed some distance back of its head and 5 having an axial groove extending from the eye to the head of the needle, the opposed Walls of the groove being provided with corrugations or depressions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 20 my own 1 have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

THOMAS CLAY EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

G. L. MoCANDLEss, A. L. MoCANDLEss. 

